A dog urinating at home can be normal if it is a puppy or an older dog. However, improper disposal can indicate that the dog is suffering from a disease, as we will see in this article on our site about why a dog pees in the house
If our dog urinates at home, a veterinarian's assessment is very important, in addition to adopting hygienic measures such as the use of washable and reusable underpads.
Why does my dog pee in the house?
Depending on the age of our dog, the causes of a dog urinating at home can be different.
Puppies
When we take custody of a puppy, we must be aware that learning to urinate outside the home will take time. That's why we can't be surprised to find pee inside the house.
Physically, the puppy can't last long without urinating, but he will do so as he grows older. It's a matter of patience, giving him plenty of chances to go out and congratulate him every time he does well. During this process, we can use washable and reusable underpads so that, until he learns, he gets used to urinating in them and, at least, we avoid damaging the floor.
Adult dogs
When the dog is an adult, urinating in the house can indicate a psychological problem, such as separation anxiety, or diseases such as urinary infection, which is characterized by the evacuation of small amounts of pee many times a day. It is necessary to go to the veterinarian or, if applicable, to an ethologist or canine behavior specialist.
Senior Dogs
More surprise it will cause us that an older dog, until then well behaved, urinates at home. It may be due to cognitive dysfunction syndrome, an age-related disorder similar to Alzheimer's in dogs, which has inappropriate elimination among its symptoms.
Urinary incontinence in dogs
In addition to the causes indicated, which explain why our dog urinates at home, we highlight in this section urinary incontinence in dogs with different origins. Although not a frequent complication, castration can cause incontinence of hormonal origin, especially in middle-aged or older females. In these cases, rather than finding puddles of urine around the house, what we see is his wet bed, since the urine comes out when the dog relaxes
Therefore, in addition to visiting the vet, it helps to maintain hygiene by placing washable and reusable underpads on top of the dog's bed or resting place. In this way, it does not stain its place, odors are neutralized and the animal stays dry.
We could also indicate incontinence by submission or stress. It is the typical case of the dog that urinates on itself when greeting us, as we see in this other article on Why does my dog urinate when I pet him?
Canine kidney disease
If our dog urinates at home, it may also be due to kidney failure. In this pathology the amount of urine to be eliminated increases and other symptoms are common, such as increased water intake, poor appearance of the coat or vomiting.
Perhaps this kidney problem is the most common diagnosis within the systemic diseases that can cause the dog to urinate at home, but there are others such as liver failure, Cushing's syndrome or diabetes. All of them require veterinary assistance, monitoring and treatment for life.
The need to evacuate more frequently means that we must offer the dog more opportunities to go out. Placing washable and reusable underpads for dogs can help us avoid accidents. You have to remember that the dog doesn't do it maliciously, but because he can't help it
Other causes of a dog urinating in the house
Although less common, neurological or musculoskeletal problems can affect sphincter control, such that the dog is physically unable to control its urine. Perhaps the most typical example is trauma, such as a hit-and-run, which damages the spinal cord or nerves.
In these cases, the dog does not always manage to recover, so it will drag as consequences mobility or incontinence problems If the dog does not can move on its own, placing it on a washable and reusable underpad enhances its quality of life by keeping it dry in the event of a leak.
Other times, the explanation lies in pathologies such as osteoarthritis in dogs, which cause pain and, as a consequence, reluctance to move.
What do I do if my dog urinates in the house?
The first thing is to know that the dog is not doing it to annoy you. If it is a puppy, you have to spend time educating him, of course, always without violence. A certified canine educator can give us guidelines if we have questions. In the rest of the exposed cases, it is necessary to go to the veterinarian.
This professional's examination will determine if there is a physical cause or, when the dog is he althy, the urine at home has a psychological origin, in which case we will be referred to a behavior professional.
The treatment will depend on the diagnosis. On the other hand, we must never scold the dog We will limit ourselves to cleaning up the urine or removing the washable and reusable pad. It is important to scrub well to prevent the persistence of the smell from making the dog believe that he can urinate again. In addition to treatment, provide opportunities to urinate more frequently.
